China Ship tragedy in Yangtze river: Death toll mounts to 65

Beijing, June 4: At least 65 bodies have been recovered so far after a cruise ship capsized in China's Yangtze river, media reported on Thursday.

By 8:00 am Thursday, 65 bodies have been recovered, and only 14 of 456 people on board found alive, China Daily reported citing reports.

The search-and-rescue operation areas expanded to 220 km downstream where the accident happened.

The ship, the Eastern Star, carrying more than 450 people on board, capsized late Monday during a storm along the section of the Yangtze that flows through Jianli County in central China's Hubei province. The captain and the chief engineer have been taken into police custody for questioning, according to authorities.

Hundreds of relatives of passengers missing after their cruise ship capsized in Jianli in central China gathered at the disaster site Thursday, as rescuers breached the hull in a last-ditch search for more than 400 people believed trapped inside.